Prospect Talent Score

Probability of Success

History

2007-08: The Wild noticed the unknown Elo crashing the net while watching scouting video of Finnish goaltender Harri Sateri. Playing for Lukko Rauma in the Finnish Junior A league, Elo had 27 points on 12 goals and 15 assists in 42 regular season games and two goals and an assist in two playoff games. Drafted in the fifth round by the Wild, 145th overall.

2009-10: Elo has begun this year to put up some numbers against good competition in the SM-Liiga. His seven goals and 10 points in 19 games put him in the top five for under-20s in the SM-Liiga. He turns 20 next month. At the Jr. A level this year, he had 36 points in 19 games, and with the World Junior team, three points in six games.

Talent Analysis

Tall and rangy, he likes to use that size to go hard to the front of the net and also has a decent set of hands.

Photo: Minnesota Wild defenseman Marco Scandella is the organization's only 2008 pick to establish a role at the NHL level. (courtesy of Russell Lansford/Icon SMI)

The 2007-08 season had its positives for a franchise finally finding its legs, including a first divisional banner, but the subsequent crash and burn against the Avalanche in the playoffs is emblematic of the end of an era. The Minnesota Wild headed to Ottawa in June with its confidence shattered and certainly no closer to a coherent vision of how to build a winner. With picks jettisoned for ineffective role players, the team recklessly punted on what was to be the final draft of the Doug Risebrough era.